The definition and the need for appropriate services to the gifted college population are not as apparent in the postsecondary environment as in the K-12 schools. Many college educators perceive that college curricula provide the needed rigor and enrichment for gifted and honors students to make continuous progress in their learning. We explore…

This study highlights the complexities associated with learning a heritage language (HL) abroad, specifically with regard to identity, expectations, and beliefs about language and language learning, by examining the ways that HL learners talk about themselves. These are important topics to study because perceptions of language learning have been…

Based on Penn State's popular "Innovation Insights" series, this book brings together in one handy reference nearly a decade of tried and true insights into continuous quality improvements in higher education. Their five-step model for integrating planning, assessment, and improvement moves plans off the shelf and into the weekly and daily…

Significant numbers of children with emotional and behavioral disorders receive services in settings other than general education, but it is expected they will return to a less restrictive environment. Reintegrating these students once they have completed treatment is a significant problem. Students can demonstrate improved behavior and…

Preschool for All (PFA) is a part-day (2.5 hours for up to five days a week) early childhood education program for 3- and 4-year-olds in Illinois. The program is voluntary to families and is designed to be a high-quality preschool option for all children--especially those at risk of academic failure. PFA was implemented in 2006 and is free to…

Every child deserves an education that allows the opportunity to achieve his or her dreams. This is the shared belief of The James Irvine Foundation and the Bridgespan Group. Unfortunately, California's education system is failing to provide young people the foundation for success in adulthood. Irvine believes that young people must be offered…

The objective of this study was to determine whether there was a quantifiable improvement in learning outcomes by integrating course materials in a 4-year baccalaureate program, utilizing a knowledge repository with a conceptual map that spans a discipline. Two new models were developed to provide the framework for this knowledge repository. A…

The unequal status of women professors, compared to their male counterparts, is not staggering news. While women constitute approximately sixty percent of the undergraduate population and earn more than half the doctorates in the United States, women professors continue to number fewer than men. The American Association of University Professors…

This paper presents qualitative research completed in two groups of hospitals in the United Kingdom, as part of a larger mixed methods study. It involved eight qualified nurses caring for patients with gastro-intestinal cancer in general surgical wards. It explored the nurses' experiences of using an online programme and their perceptions of the…

Classical physics has a long history of using demonstrations and experiments to develop ideas in introductory courses. The purpose of this exploration is to examine the effectiveness of a desk-top activity for helping students develop abstract reasoning. In the pilot exploration, students in three laboratory sections of a single physics course…

This study sought to understand FFA leadership activities and member role in planning these activities. Qualitative research methods were used to gain insight into the perceptions of FFA members. Twelve chapters from 11 different states participated in four focus group sessions at the National FFA Convention. Youth participating in the focus group…

This purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of parents with children with disabilities towards their children and how Mexican society treats their children. Using a focus group with a translator four middle class parents were interviewed about their children with disabilities in Guadalajara, Mexico. At a later date two other parents…

The importance of employability in higher education and increasing numbers of students working while studying led leaders on a social science degree to introduce work experience modules. This paper reports on an in-depth case study based on the analysis of staff and student interviews, the students' reflective assignments, and a focus group…

This paper arises from research into inclusive literacy for pupils with severe learning difficulties who do not learn to read and write conventionally. The ultimate aim of the study was to seek out examples of good practice in teaching and learning literacy that includes students with severe learning difficulties and disseminate them as widely as…

Determining the best methods of assessment for a library instruction program in a large research university can be a challenging task. Albert R. Mann Library at Cornell University Library has pilot-tested three methods of formative and summative assessment for its library instruction program--attitudinal, outcomes-based, and gap-measure--and…